An Issue of handling the ever increasing problem of 'STRAY DOGS'
Reply to a concerned Citizen... Dear Ms. Gaikwad , Such reports Dog attacks and seriously injures a child in Mumbai suburbs keep appearing off and on in the media , but who has bothered to study the social aspects of the so-called "Strays" ? It is a well known 'fact' any fairy tale that "A Dog is Man's Best Friend"... Then why are there Strays ? It's simple , because Man does not recognise and accept this , nor does he try to do something nice in turn for his'friend'...Stray Dogs were 'created by us Humans.Those of us who took them into our houses as Pets , either as Guard Dogs,or as playthings for their kids , or even as 'Status' Symbolsleft-over of the British Empire,and when the 'Pet' has grown up , and become a bit too difficult to take care of , or when the family has to relocate , without a second's thought , they abandon the Dog to their fate , on the streets . This is as "Evil" as abandoning one's own , aged Parent's , when they need you most , but when once they have served their purpose . Now , "Once a 'stray' always a stray" , is also a well known fact .These 'strays' if they are still able to procreate , will definitely do so and thereby the numbers become ever increasing . Blue Cross , and Sadhu Vaswani Mission and the like are but a few institutions that do something to mitigate the problem but not solve it . No 'Stray Dog' I have seen in my 60 odd years of walking the streets not a 'stray' mind you , has attacked a human being , unless first 'attacked , with a stone or a stick, or even a viscious kick , and even then not at the first 'hurt'...It takes a few such 'human attacks' to make the strays recognise their 'Enemy', and one day they may retaliate . It is generally always in self defence . There are many people who walk the streets , who are not even bothered by these dogs , since they ignore them . It is also true , that a human who has once been attacked by a guard dog in some home , develops an auto reaction to all dogs he sees , and starts 'hurting' them . It becomes a chain reaction . Also , when strays become driven by acute hunger , then again the survival instinct does take over , and they would catch a chicken or lamb for food , but even then rarely if ever, do they attack humans unless there is due provocation . So, ma'am , do spare a thought for a 'creature' that God in his wisdom , choose , to be "Man's Best Friend" . I agree fully that Strays should be kept of the roads , so that they do not get runover by callous motorists , and do not have to scrounge in dust-bins for food scarps....Let us make the Municipal Corporations , accept their responsibility of neutering these strays so that their numbers dwindle , and finding shelters for them where they are cared for . That's is the "Stray's Case" , put before all you 'Dog-Haters' and Municipal Corporation Officialdom..... S.Sushil Kumar, NRRF � On Sat, 23 Aug 2008 Arti Gaikwad wrote : Stray Dogs Survey...